Monday, October 8, 2018

Sultan Amir Ahmad Bathhouse in Kashan

For some ancient cultures, bathing was a necessity. For
Iranian, not only were baths important for maintaining health, they were also
an important part of social life. Iran public bath houses were centers for
socialization and in some areas, were quite large and lavish indeed. The Sultan
Amir Ahmad Bathhouse in Kashan, Iran, is a 16th century public bathhouse built
during the time of the Safavid era but was damaged in an earthquake in the
1770s and later renovated during the Qajar period. Characterized by vaulted
ceilings, exquisite mosaics and paintings, this gorgeous structure is one of
the most beautiful and best preserved historic bathhouse in Iran today. The
bath is decorated with amazing ornamental tiles, some of which are turquoise
and gold. The bathhouse has the shape of a large octagonal hall with an
octagonal pool in the middle, and surrounded by eight pillars separating its
outer sitting area. The roof of the
bathhouse is made of multiple domes that contain convex glasses to provide
sufficient lighting to the bathhouse while concealing it from the outside. Serves
as a museum and declared a national heritage site by Iran’s Cultural Heritage
Department in 1956, the bathhouse is named after Imamzadeh Sultan Amir Ahmad,
whose mausoleum is nearby. While travelling in Kashan, besides visiting
historical houses and Fin garden, Uppersia recommends you to explore this
less-known ancient monument.